When treating or detecting various disorders or diseases in females (humans or animals), it is often desired to place a certain material in communication with the urinary system (e.g., urinary tract, bladder, kidneys, etc.) via the urethra. For example, many common conditions of the bladder or urinary tract, such as cancer, inflammation, infection or incontinence, may be treated by pharmaceutically active compounds. In the past, these compounds were orally administered.
However, one problem with oral administration is that local administration (e.g., directly into the urinary system) is typically more effective in treating many urinary disorders. As a result, drugs have also been directly injected into the desired location, such as directly injecting a drug into the bladder. Nevertheless, one problem with this approach, is that for chronic conditions, such as incontinence, the patient must be repeatedly catheterized, thus requiring frequent attention by trained medical staff. The potential for infection is also increased by repeated catheterization into the bladder. Thus, a need currently exists for an improved method of treating various infections and diseases of the urinary system.
Moreover, besides being treated through the urethra, it is often desired that certain disorders and diseases of the urinary system also be detected through the urethra as well. For instance, conventional detection mechanisms for bladder or kidney disease typically involve a detailed urine analysis. Specifically, a patient is initially asked to provide a urine specimen. This specimen is then taken to a lab and analyzed in detail by a lab technician or medical professional. Unfortunately, such a laboratory analysis may require a substantial amount of time and be relatively expensive. Moreover, because the urine sample is exposed to the environment, it can potentially become contaminated prior to testing, thereby adversely affecting the overall test results. Accordingly, a need also currently exists for an improved method of detecting various diseases and infections of the urinary system.